I recently moved house, only a mile, but I truly hear you about accumulated stuff "Why didn't I get rid of that long ago?" The move itself happened on very short notice. Where I was was unlivable. Where I was going was a great unknown. I didn't even see my flat until after I got the keys. Here's the real deal fear. The apartment is a huge upgrade from the squalor of the old place, which was an embarrassment where I hid for 10 years. The new place is public housing I'd been on a waiting list for 5 years. I had anticipatory shame about it being public housing. But the 5 year waiting list spoke of a great need for affordable housing for us elders and disabled elders. And I liked my hermit life except for the bad housing conditions. The new place is awesome, big, clean, heating, air conditioning, freakin plumbing! 50 apartments in what they call a tower. Tower is a bit of a reach, it's short and squat for 50 flats. And 50 new people who all knew about me on the swift wing of gossip. The girl with the big dog (I'm 66 years old). Everyone wanted to know my name and I told them. The told me theirs. 3 months in I'm struggling to remember all these names. I let that shame thing go very quickly. I am sending you energy, physical energy, to safely get your stuff packed and ready for whichever destination. I am sending you time to stop energy so your body stays healthy. And wishing you all the best on your new adventure.
Brings back memories to 3.5+ years ago (!!!!) when I left my home of 12 years to embark on my own great unknown. All the feels too.
I STILL have some "saved for later" expensive skincare that, sadly, is now "off". Shoulda just used it and not saved it for later.
Glad you are using your candles and expensive skincare! That's what it is for :)
My mission this winter into early spring is to go through a bunch of stuff that I've accumulated in the past 2.5 years to see what I can say goodbye to. There is new energy I want to welcome into my life in 2026, it feels like letting some old stuff go is the path forward.
Love your story today, it resonates with my own moving experience that occurred last year. We spent a full year packing etc. and after a while i too shared your thoughts about why all the stuff and unfinished things. The house did feel so much better with less. Moving from a home built with love and dreams, filled with all sorts of routine familiar habits with plant and animal friends in the gardens, and incredible views is very challenging on the heart. Do parts of me still resent having to move, yes, but it was time and it was necessary. I trusted too in the hard choice and in Spirit even though the feels were incredibly heavy towards the ends as we said out last good byes to the old and hellos to the new place - that got a lot of scowls and slanted judgy cat eyes. Still in that dark moist muddy area, healing the heart, areas of our lives that were getting too crunchy and depleted are now being hydrated and I am happy to have made the choice to move... Even thought i still miss all my garden friends deeply. Thank you for your tree leaf metaphor. I am in a place to hear that wisdom and use it going forward.
Oh Rebecca. I love you so much. It's such a privilege knowing you! I hope I run into you in London sometime and that this new chapter in your life is the absolute best- it feels like it will be. If you ever need me in any way, for any reason, know that I am the person to call when you want to bury bodies! :-D <3
I am beginning to embrace the Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning as a way of life. Happy trails!
happy trails,indeed!
I recently moved house, only a mile, but I truly hear you about accumulated stuff "Why didn't I get rid of that long ago?" The move itself happened on very short notice. Where I was was unlivable. Where I was going was a great unknown. I didn't even see my flat until after I got the keys. Here's the real deal fear. The apartment is a huge upgrade from the squalor of the old place, which was an embarrassment where I hid for 10 years. The new place is public housing I'd been on a waiting list for 5 years. I had anticipatory shame about it being public housing. But the 5 year waiting list spoke of a great need for affordable housing for us elders and disabled elders. And I liked my hermit life except for the bad housing conditions. The new place is awesome, big, clean, heating, air conditioning, freakin plumbing! 50 apartments in what they call a tower. Tower is a bit of a reach, it's short and squat for 50 flats. And 50 new people who all knew about me on the swift wing of gossip. The girl with the big dog (I'm 66 years old). Everyone wanted to know my name and I told them. The told me theirs. 3 months in I'm struggling to remember all these names. I let that shame thing go very quickly. I am sending you energy, physical energy, to safely get your stuff packed and ready for whichever destination. I am sending you time to stop energy so your body stays healthy. And wishing you all the best on your new adventure.
Brings back memories to 3.5+ years ago (!!!!) when I left my home of 12 years to embark on my own great unknown. All the feels too.
I STILL have some "saved for later" expensive skincare that, sadly, is now "off". Shoulda just used it and not saved it for later.
Glad you are using your candles and expensive skincare! That's what it is for :)
My mission this winter into early spring is to go through a bunch of stuff that I've accumulated in the past 2.5 years to see what I can say goodbye to. There is new energy I want to welcome into my life in 2026, it feels like letting some old stuff go is the path forward.
Onward!
Love your story today, it resonates with my own moving experience that occurred last year. We spent a full year packing etc. and after a while i too shared your thoughts about why all the stuff and unfinished things. The house did feel so much better with less. Moving from a home built with love and dreams, filled with all sorts of routine familiar habits with plant and animal friends in the gardens, and incredible views is very challenging on the heart. Do parts of me still resent having to move, yes, but it was time and it was necessary. I trusted too in the hard choice and in Spirit even though the feels were incredibly heavy towards the ends as we said out last good byes to the old and hellos to the new place - that got a lot of scowls and slanted judgy cat eyes. Still in that dark moist muddy area, healing the heart, areas of our lives that were getting too crunchy and depleted are now being hydrated and I am happy to have made the choice to move... Even thought i still miss all my garden friends deeply. Thank you for your tree leaf metaphor. I am in a place to hear that wisdom and use it going forward.
Oh Rebecca. I love you so much. It's such a privilege knowing you! I hope I run into you in London sometime and that this new chapter in your life is the absolute best- it feels like it will be. If you ever need me in any way, for any reason, know that I am the person to call when you want to bury bodies! :-D <3
travel well! 💕